


The Faintest Whisper of You

by Butterfly



Series: Sheith Quote Week 2017 [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: M/M, Sheith Quote Week 2017, Shiro (Voltron) Has a Clone, pining!Shiro, post-s4, technically this could be read as either friendship or romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-19
Updated: 2017-12-19
Packaged: 2019-02-16 22:09:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13063149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Butterfly/pseuds/Butterfly
Summary: "There were so many things Shiro couldn't do right now, not without a body, and it wore on him more some days than others."





	The Faintest Whisper of You

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Sheith Quote Week 2017, Day 2: "Your friend desperately wants to see you."

Shiro slid his mind into Black's again, stretching his thoughts out to flood through every inch, from head to paws to tail. The ethereal world that he'd lived in the past few months faded to a dim radiance as Shiro looked out through Black's eyes.

The other him was in Black's landing bay, helmet down as he talked with the rest of his team. Black rumbled a little at the sight, but settled down at a light brush from Shiro. The other-Shiro meant no harm, at least not that Shiro had been able to determine so far. Whether he might yet be used to cause harm was something that Shiro was keeping an eye on, but he didn't want to make any harsh judgements without evidence. And other-Shiro being here was nothing against the aching absence of who _wasn't_ here.

Keith had been miserable piloting Black, so Shiro wouldn't want that time back for anything in the world, but he did miss being able to align his mind to Keith's more easily. He only wished that Keith could have felt him there, too, and drawn some comfort from his presence.

There were so many things Shiro couldn't do right now, not without a body, and it wore on him more some days than others. A calming pulse came from Black and Shiro acknowledged it gracefully. No point in focusing on what couldn't be rushed. Even with Black helping him, it might be months yet before Shiro could concentrate strongly enough to reform himself. He let the thought go and folded his mind more deeply into Black's. This part was harder now, with Keith so far away, but while the bond that Keith had formed with Black was narrow and fragile, it wasn't broken.

Shiro tiptoed out along that thin ledge, Black balancing his mind against the empty vacuum pressing down on them, and reached along the connection toward Keith. It wavered, so Shiro bolstered it with memories.

Keith, at the Kerberos launch, serious and steady. He'd told Shiro that he was so happy for him and then had added, almost too softly to hear, that he would miss Shiro very very much. Shiro had laughed and ruffled Keith's hair and told him that he'd be missing Keith up there too. Next time, they'd go out there together, he'd promised, with all the reckless arrogance of youth. It was a memory that had turned bitter when Shiro had been in the arena, but now it gleamed with the golden warmth of a promise fulfilled.

The next memory he placed to strengthen the bridge was more recent - Keith joining together with Black to save Shiro when they'd been lost together on that planet. There was a twinge of sadness here, since that moment was what made Shiro push Keith towards the leadership of Voltron and flying Black, but there was more love there than pain. Keith had done a lot of things right as a leader and he would have done even better if he hadn't been carrying the weight of Shiro's loss on his shoulders. There was an affectionate and half-apologetic rumble of agreement from Black at that thought, so Shiro took a moment to reassure Black - it wasn't anyone's fault that the connection with Keith and with other-Shiro weren't strong enough for them to feel Shiro's presence. Black sent him a wave of acceptance that felt like a warm, rough lick along Shiro's face and Shiro did his best to give the same feeling back.

Then Shiro reached deeper into his memories and paved the connection with his reactions to Keith back when he'd first met him. Quiet, almost shy... except when his temper was riled up or he was relaxed into humor. That smile that had startled Shiro with its openness, the first time he'd seen it. How wide and painfully sincere Keith's eyes were when he let himself be vulnerable.

After the main blocks were in place, Shiro filled the gaps with pure emotions. _Pride_ at how much Keith had grown over the years. _Concern_ at how Keith felt it was his duty to take on the cares of the universe. And _longing_ \- desperate, yearning - so deep that it would have taken Shiro's breath away, if he'd needed to breathe in this place.

Then Shiro opened his eyes and he was resting there, on the surface of Keith's mind, delicate as a whisper.

Keith was talking - arguing, really - with Kolivan. Shiro couldn't hear the words, but he could get a faint emotional backlash from Keith. Impatience. Frustration. Determination.

Shiro knew he wouldn't be able to stay in the chaotic warmth of Keith's mind for any longer than a handful of heartbeats, so he soaked it in while he could, tugging the sensations over himself like a blanket. It would be a week or more before he would be able to do this again, but Shiro had grown used to rationing out the feeling of being near Keith.

Then too soon - always too soon - the connection broke down.

Shiro was back in the radiant, star-dappled mindscape that he and Black shared.

He had a headache or, more accurately, he _was_ a headache, but it was worth the pain. Shiro gave Black a stroke of gratitude, imagining firm fingers over soft fur, and then turned himself back to the slow, tedious process of figuring out how to put his atoms back together safely.

A few more months of this and then, hopefully, he'd get to see Keith and the rest of his family in person again.


End file.
